Venture capital investment in Canadian growth-stage firms fell to near zero in latest quarter, report says - The Globe and Mail

BlackRock’s IBIT led the gains with $665.2 million in inflows, offsetting withdrawals from Fidelity and Grayscale, while other funds recorded no net flows. US spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) recorded $526.7 million in net inflows on Monday, their largest daily intake in nearly a month, after posting net weekly withdrawals in each of the past two weeks. According to Farside Investors, Monday’s inflows were the strongest since Sept. 22, when the funds attracted $714.7 million. Monday’s record reversed Friday’s $82.4 million in net outflows. BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) led the inflows with $665.2 million, exceeding the net total across all funds. The gains were partly offset by $83.6 million in withdrawals from Fidelity’s Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund (FBTC) and $54.9 million from Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (GBTC). Other funds recorded no net flows, according to Farside. US Spot Bitcoin ETF Flows. Source: Farside InvestorsThe rebound followed two weeks of net outflows on a weekly basis. Last week, spot Bitcoin ETFs shed about $229 million after losing $681 million the week before. The funds also recorded $483.9 million in outflows on Oct.

Sophon has set a Nov. 25 deadline for users to withdraw their assets ahead of its planned mainnet shutdown, following a June announcement that it would abandon its Ethereum layer-2 blockchain and move operations to Base. Sophon said Monday it will begin shutting down key infrastructure and related websites on Nov. 25, and any assets left on the Sophon Chain risk becoming permanently inaccessible. The team has asked users to withdraw any Sophon (SOPH), Ether (ETH), USDC (USDC) and other assets, and claim any outstanding staking or Guardian rewards. Sophon launched as a zero-knowledge-powered layer-2 network focused on consumer applications, including gaming, entertainment and AI. In June, its developers said the costs of maintaining a standalone blockchain no longer justified its benefits and announced plans to focus on consumer finance and AI applications on Base. The shutdown follows a similar announcement from Abstract, the consumer-focused Ethereum layer-2 network developed by Pudgy Penguins’ parent company, Igloo. Abstract announced on Oct. 6 that it would close on Dec. 15, after Igloo lost tens of millions of dollars supporting the network.

The restrictions extend earlier bans within US defense and security agencies, amid concerns that DeepSeek could expose federal information to China. The US Department of Homeland Security has ordered the removal of DeepSeek products from federal civilian agency IT systems. The order, filed on Monday, also covers DeepSeek affiliates and third-party products and services developed using DeepSeek implementations while prohibiting affected agencies from making new purchases. DHS warned that use of DeepSeek by government employees and contractors could expose sensitive information to China, potentially revealing details about US citizens and federal programs. The department also pointed to security vulnerabilities identified in DeepSeek’s iOS application. The restrictions took immediate effect upon publication of the order on Tuesday. The order expands earlier US restrictions on DeepSeek, including bans within the Commerce Department and portions of the US defense, security and intelligence community, amid competition between Washington and Beijing for leadership in artificial intelligence. Australia banned its products from government systems and devices in February 2025.

Concerns were raised over extending the life of fossil fuels, locking in carbon-intensive energy and clashing with other countries’ taxonomies

Corporate Bitcoin purchases could accelerate toward the end of 2026 and into 2027 if the cryptocurrency rallies, but investors are likely to be more selective about which treasury companies they finance, according to analysts. Speaking to Cointelegraph, Bitwise head of research Ryan Rasmussen said there was a broad slowdown in Bitcoin treasury buying in Q3. Strategy’s Bitcoin holdings increased by a net 1,666 BTC in Q3, down from 83,901 BTC in Q2, according to company filings. Other public companies added a net 5,617 BTC, compared with 45,725 BTC in the previous quarter, according to figures supplied by Rasmussen. Rasmussen said he expects a re-acceleration of corporate Bitcoin purchases to begin as early as this year. Bitfinex head of derivatives Jag Kooner said renewed buying could follow if treasury companies regain premiums to the value of their Bitcoin holdings, allowing them to issue shares and acquire more Bitcoin without diluting existing shareholders’ Bitcoin exposure per share. The model became popular during the 2025 treasury boom, when companies could raise capital by issuing shares at a premium to the value of their Bitcoin holdings.

Provincial election on Oct. 24 pits the NDP and Conservatives’ economic visions against a complex and grim reality